Parent keeping
son off school
in taxi protest

A PARENT is refusing to send his son to school because of changes introduced to his taxi service.

Peter Marshall, of Halton Crescent, is furious East Sussex County Council (ESCC) has changed the provider of the service to Glyne Gap School in Bexhill and claims parents were never consulted.

Mr Marshall, who lives in Ore, has applied for an injunction hearing at Hastings County Court to stop the new service run by a company in Bexhill. Last month parents of six special needs pupils complained after Sean Fox, of Z Cars, was replaced after more than 10 years. The contract was awarded to a Bexhill firm starting next month as the authority seeks to provide a better quality service and value for money.

Mr Marshall claims the one time his son Joe, 13, was taken to school by another firm he became unwell and stressed. He says he will now be schooling his son at home.

He said: “The county council did not consult the parents about these changes. My son Joe had been with Sean Fox for nine years except for a short time when he went with another firm, but he was so stressed out and upset when he got back home which caused him to have a fit. I had him changed back to Z Cars. Sean had no problems with these children because he knows how to treat them. I feel this is discrimination against disabled children.”

Karen Bowles, spokeswoman for ESCC, said: “We have worked very closely with the school throughout this process and all parents were notified of changes to the transport providers. A single provider reduces the administration needed and therefore reduces overheads.”